Black Brigades

The Black Brigades was a fascist paramilitary group formed in the Italian Social Republic in 1943 after Italy signed an armistice with the Allied Powers during World War II. The Black Brigades consisted of anti-communist "private" armed units, protecting supporters of the Republican Fascist Party; the party's leader Alessandro Pavolini led the brigades. The Black Brigades fought against the Allies, partisans, and other brigades that were deemed less supportive of the fascist party, and many members of the Black Brigades died in infighting. It is unknown how many brigade members were summarily executed by partisans when the war ended in Italy in April 1945.